The Seven Nightmares of Halloween
by Jgal
Summary: Ever wondered how Jack became the Pumpkin King? Or why he hated Boogie so much? Long ago The Pumpkin Queen has announced that a Seven Halloween long tournament will choose her successor. And two friends will become bitter enemies for the throne.
1. The Pumpkin Queen

Disclaimer: I do not own The Nightmare Before Christmas. If I did I would have the game available for PC so **I** can play it. .

**The Seven Nightmares of Halloween**

**The Pumpkin Queen**

The Halloween Queen starred off into the distance space of her dank and cold crypt that had been her home for countless centuries. Her once radiant emerald skin has long since faded and the slithering serpents of her hair has slowed or slept more often then in the days of their youth. She thought about her last Hollow's Eve Performance just earlier that evening. How, from a shroud of a solid stone likeness she burst through in red rage. All her serpent locks hissing in a frightful display and venom rained down that made the people scream from their bones.

But the screams were not so strong as before she realized. The energy in her scared had grown shallow and her own ghostly allure had lost its spirit.

"I have grown old." she said to herself as she gazed out the cobweb windows to the All Hollow's Eve moon with its nightmare face. _"The End of Days draws near…"

* * *

_

The citizens of Halloween Town liven for countless years in frightening harmony in their haunted lands, yearning for nothing but to make each Halloween better then the last, and under the reign of the Pumpkin Queen that wish was granted over and over again. Year and year.

So it was a great surprise to every ghoul from the tiny vampire bat to the great skeleton trees when, upon the eve of the new year the Queen of Halloween announced her retirement.

The stunned crowd in the meetinghouse soon erupted in an uproar of confusion and demands for and explanation .  
Two especially curious ghouls waited in the rafters for the noise to die down.

With a motion of her long slender hand the commotion of her people was obediently silenced.

"It is time that I should choose a successor to take my place as ruler of our wonderful town. For seven Halloweens the youth of our people shall organize their own festivities; improve their powers with each passing year, until one proves the most worthy." Then the meeting was over. The fate of all Halloween Town was no long in her hands, but in the hands of her people.

* * *

Outside the meeting house and at the outskirts of the pumpkin patch a small boy of bones and bag of bugs met together.

"Who do you think the Queen will choose?" asked the boney boy. His hallow eyes mysteriously emanated an innocent air.

The burlap phantom's fabric face folded into a wicked grin, "It shall be me my friend, if not you. Between the two of us one is bound to be King!"

Each ghoulish lad smiled with excitement.  
"If neither of us are chosen we will still have more fun then ever before." The young Jack giggles, "These shall be the greatest Halloween's ever!"

* * *

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	2. The Mad Mentor

Disclaimer: I don't own Nightmare Before Christmas

**The Seven Nightmares of Halloween.**

**Chapter Two**

**The Mad Mentor**

Before the day had ended many young monsters and the undead have begun work on their scares for the tournament. Day slowly grew into weeks, and weeks became months.

One day during the last week of September the skeleton boy and the living cloth ghost were playing near the crooked tower of the mad scientist. Dr Finkerstien, one of the oldest inhabitants of Halloween Town, a recluse in his tower that summoned lighting and fire at all hours of the night, to animate his numerous creations. A truly frightening place.

The boys snuck around the rust colored earth and stone garden that surrounded the towed. A bone pale head rose up from their hiding spot to see if anyone, or thing, had spotted them

"See anything?" mumbled Oogie

Jack pulled his arm back down and placed the head back on his vertebra, "Nope. Are you sure we should be sneaking around here?"

"Trust me Jack I'll be a snap. We'll sneak in, steel some potions and become the most terrifying monsters in town!"

The boy of bones nodded his pallor head slightly, "If you say so.. but would it be better to ask?"

"Fool! Just follow me." he states as a cockroach skittered out from his body. Jack sighed and tightened the rope string around the Boogie's head, "You're drawstring was loose.."

"Oh...thank.. Now let's go!"

The younger of the two sighed and followed after his friend. Through a narrow pathway between the rocks to the back door. This cleverly hidden path would give them ample escape, if they were the only ones to know of it…

Jack shrieked with surprise and backed away when a double edged blade shot out from the stone, barely missing his eye socket, "Whoa!"

Oogie spun around, "What now?!" Another blade answered him.

More daggers appeared in-between the boy to further separate them.

"Run!" They bother exclaimed before turning to race down their separate paths.  
Jack ran as fast as his limbs could take him. With no muscles or ligaments the bladed trap remained only inches behind him. Back down the path until he suddenly collided against something hard and wiggly.  
The boys fell off their feet, landing in a pile of bones and rages. As they each tried to pull themselves together a shadow loomed over them.

Jack padded his stubby hands around in search of his missing head, but just before he could grab it someone had already lifted it from the ground, "Now what do we have here..?"

* * *

The doctor took the little phantoms deep into his laboratory. Many bubbling potions of a dozen unknown colors littered the tables and shelves, or hovered over deformed burners.

Young Jack Skeleton looked around from an operating table while beside him, the doctor was sewing Oogie back up.

"You should be collecting more bugs then sneaking around my home. Had anymore escaped you wouldn't be able to move at all."

Boogie merely grumbled.

While the doctor was occupied Jack took the opportunity to look around the wondrous laboratory a second time. On a far table at the other side of the room a collection of flesh and cloths swatches were sewn together in a series of patchwork quilts, along with some dried leaves and herbs,

"What are you looking at boy?!" Dr. Finklerstein snapped to the boy.

Jack spun his head to the doctor, only to have it fall to the floor again, "Whoops.."

The albino scientist groaned and staggered between the tables with his thin shaky legs, "You skeletons always have the same problems always loosing your head."  
Jack remained silent from embarrassment while his head was reattached.

Once the procedures were finished Oogie and Jack inspected themselves in a mirror. While Oogie Boogie was admiring himself with every stitch Jack glances over his plane ordinary structure. He was small for a skeleton, with short bones and a skull too big for his frame. His torn rag clothing of stained mud hung from his shoulders, rubs and ileum limply. Sighing he wondered how could be scary enough to even enter the contest, let along win..

Dr. Finklestein set himself down on a metal chair, 'So you two boys are entering the contest as well huh? Well, if you scare as well as you escape my traps you should stop while you're a head."

The fabric phantom twisted his head to the old man, "Humph! Just what so you mean by that!"  
The amphibious professor folded his arms, "Because I myself have entered the tournament, Many many years ago…" His beaklike face seemed to soften while he through back to a long ago age.

Jack tilted his head to him curiously, "Can you tell us how to win?"

The evil genius shook his head back to reality, "Of course not! How dare you have the gal to ask!" He turned his chair away from the mini monsters to an arrangement of specimens in bubbling bottles. He tilted open the top of his cranium with a metallic groan. While his fingers poked around at his gray rubbery matter of his brain a thought came to his mind, "However…" he said capping his head shut, "I could trade you some information, in exchange for your services…"

Oogie shoved passed Jack to get closer to the doctor, "Just what do you have in mind old man?"

The scientist glared at the unstable demon, "My legs aren't as strong as they used to me, and my latest creation still needs some raw materials. You get what I need, you get what you need. Have we got a deal?"

Little Jack rubbes a pale white finger against his chin, "I suppose we could.. If you can help us be scary.."  
"Dr. Finklestein curled his lips, "Trust me my boys, You WILL be scary…"

* * *

YAY it's October!

Read and Review and please and tell me what you think


	3. Festival of Frights

Disclaimer: You see this? Good.

**The Seven Nightmares of Halloween**

**The First Halloween: Festival of Frights**

For the remaining month the two goulash boys gathered leaves and robbed the graves in the pumpkin patch for skin and cloth. By night they trained under the mad doctor. Soon the First Halloween of the Tournament had arrived.

"The First Halloween is the simplest of all said the doctor, "For this only the competitors are chosen…"

At the stroke of Halloween a festival commenced in the streets and in the square. The people cheered, laughed and danced to the wild music from Jack-o-Lantern drums, bone flutes and xylophones, and cobweb harp strings. Noxiously tantalizing aromas of wormy candy apples, pop coronary ball, and poison punch filled the air.

Monsters, goblins, demons, and witches danced and leaped about with vigor and spirit to the music. Several of the older residents stood at the sidelines to watch the show, including the queen herself, who watched from a throne before the Town Hall

Jack Skeleton gulped at the sight of the festivities. The most energetic of these dancers, the most creative, the most scary... would be chosen for the next round. With him and his literal two left feet the boy's confidence plummeted.

Oogie's smirked his fibrous lips mischievously, "This is going to be fun."

"Dr Finklestein what do we-" Jack turned back to ask the doctor had already disappeared. He then looked to Oogie, only to find that his best friend had also vanished. Jack looked back to the enthusiastic crowd. The cheekbones on his face become red. "I'm going to look foolish out there…" he said to himself and searched for a place to hide. His eyes soon fell upon one of the pumpkin lights that lined the streets he snatched the orange jewel and its candle. The hole had been conveniently carved on the button, which provided an easy fit. "Still dark thought.." he said, then placed the lit candle inside the gap of his hyoid bone in his neck. The light shone out from his eye sockets, nose cavity, and mouth and through the carved face of his mask, "That's better…"

* * *

The Pumpkin Queen observed the festivities from her throne. The energy of the music and the dancing contestants tempted her to join the celebrations. However the severity of the contest's purpose kept her in her place. Every once in a while a thin green serpent slithered up her leg through the slit of her black dress and climbed into her lap. She caressed the cold blooded creature while it wrapped around her arm. The empress of darkness combed the visitor into her hair as another serpent fell loose from her locks. A fresh spy. She continued watching her people dance while the snake filled her mind of what it saw and heard.

"Always were a snake charmer…" muttered the amused voice close beside her. The Pumpkin Queen glanced over to the pallor scientist in his best white lab coat.

The queen smiled to him. "I thought you would never come."  
"I would never miss the chance to see you again…Euryale."

A soft blush rose to her green cheeks, "If you are trying win favor with me you just might win.

He laughed, "I have no interest in being king. I have more important thing to do then rule the town."

The queen merely laughed, "Still as ornery as ever. But also crafty I know you have some creation out there to dance for you."

"Two apprentices actually."

"And you want me to consider them I suppose?"

"Just a fair look. They have some potential, for misfits..."

* * *

The magic of the music intensified by the midnight hour while the remaining dancers' energy to escalate for the finale.

Jack's twirling performance and flashing head dazzled the crowds. While Oogie jiggled and crept to the audience and other competitors. Once close he loosened the drawstring atop of his head to expose the mass of creepy crawling insects inside him. The monsters jumped in fright.

Before the first rays of the morning sun arose all was still as the Pumpkin Queen rose from her throne. "I am most proud you all for your frightening spirits and most inspiring performance. The monsters that I choose now will be the mold from which shall rise my successor."

One by one she summoned the most impressive monsters, followed by the welcoming applause of their peers. Bother Hack and Oogie jumped and hugged each other when their names were called. Little would any of them relies that the chosen candidates were singled out by the people..

The snakes that form the Queen's hair fought to remain awake after slithering about the town all night.

Upon their return home Jack Skeleton removed the pumpkin head and candle. "Phew! It was getting hot in there…"

He newly exposed face was greeted by the two starring faces of Oogie and the doctor.

He shifted the pumpkin under his arm, "What is it?" his question was answered by unsuppressed snickering.

The smoke and soot from the candle inside the mask had coated his head completely black.

* * *

What will the Second Halloween have in store for them?

What sort of project is the doctor creating?

If you have any thoughts or ideas feel free to submit them.

Read and Review

**FACTS**

The hyoid is the bone in you neck that supports the larynx, or voice box.

Euryale was one of the three Gorgon sisters in Greek mythology.


	4. The Haunted Trail

Disclaimer:Alas I don't own Nightmare Before Christmas

**The Seven Nightmares of Halloween**

**The Second Halloween: The Haunted Trail**

**Deception and Surprises**

The second year seemed to have passed even faster then the last. And by the down of the October Jack and Oogie were working tirelessly on their sections of the Haunted trail through the Pumpkin patch.

The Skeleton was taking a break stop a tombstone when, out of the corner of his eye he spotted someone ascending the spiral mountain. On a normal day he would not have given the stranger a second thought, but nowadays nothing was normal.

The skeleton boy snuck around from tombstone to tombstone toward the mountain. He gazed up to see the Queen herself standing on top of the curved peek. Her black dress and faded emerald skin held a faint bluish hue in the early morning sky as many clouds canceled the sun's rays. Her eyes seemed fixed to the forest border beyond the mountain's secret path; as though she expected someone, or something to emerge from that forbidden thicket. Or perhaps that she must go down that road.

Jack could not tell what the Gorgon was up to, but curiosity drew him closer.

"Jack! Where are you bonehead!" bellowed a voice for him back at the trail.

Sighing Jack hurried back through the graveyard.

The Queen's eyes followed the child back to the field of gourds with interest. If the other monster had not called for him she would not have noticed the skeleton so near. To creep to so close in the day showed true talent, or her senses were truly betraying her…

* * *

Jack did not tell Oogie of what he had seen. He even tried to forget it while he helped the doctor assemble his latest creation. He carefully placed the leaves and herbs into the different segments of the body while Dr. Finklstein sewed the skin and cloth swatches together.

The insect fueled golem was nowhere to be seen.

At midnight the bellowing sounds of the doorbell suddenly rang throughout the tower and into the laboratory. The doctor grumbled and limped his way out from the lab to the top of the stairway, "The door is open!"

With a soft creek the door opened, "Hello."

Jack in the lab lifted his head at the sound of the guest's voice and the professor's in the other room.

"Come in my dear! To what so I owe the pleasure?"

The voice was that of a woman the young skeleton barely recognized and pulled away from the worktable to the door. He pressed his hallow eye to the doorway to see the Pumpkin Queen herself talking with the mad scientist. A boney finger tapped curiously stop of his skull

"I have a favor to ask of you old friend. Something very special for the Third Halloween…"  
The rest of their conversation was taken to another part of the tower where he could not hear them. Unwilling to incur the wrath of Finklstein Jack returned to his work area. A few moments later he felt a cool hand rest upon his shoulder. At once the skeleton jumped into the air and spun around.

"Quite the energy you have, Jumping Jack." The serpent headed queen laughed.

Young Jack tried to collect himself and bow to her respectfully, "I'm sorry my lady I… I did not hear you coming.."

The Gorgon grin with amusement, "Being silent is one of the keys to the perfect scare. Your victims cannot predict your actions if they cannot hear you."

The young skeleton fell short on words to say to her.

The Queen smiled and slipped a special herb inside the body segment that the boy was working on. She pressed a finger to her lips with a grin and vanished.

Jack felt stymied; confided; even awed that HE had encountered the most powerful creature in town so closely. To have her talk to him, and keep a secret from his deranged mentor…

* * *

While the First Halloween selected those devils and ghosts who stood out in the crowd, the Second Halloween will test their skills against the crowds single-handedly. Their talents would be tested throughout the night to see who would scare the most citizens, alone.

Jack and Oogie's section was near the end of the trail.

Upon his advice from the Queen Jack kept himself hidden among the tombstones and larger pumpkins and waited for the 'guests' to arrive. Just as in the last Halloween he set himself with a fresh pumpkin mask on his head and watched through the fresh cut eyes.

The people of the town looked around to see what the monster of the area had in store for them. Just as the guests were bout to leave he jumped behind them, beside them, or even right before their eyes. The monsters and ghost screamed and laughed with delight.

By the end of the night the Queen announced the winners of the second Halloween. Of the twenty candidates only ten had made it through the night.

Jack wondered what would have caused the unexpected decrease of potential heirs. While the test was tricky, it was not overly difficult. He knew most of the candidates and found them much scarier then he was most of the time.

After the selection the skeleton spoke with his friends to see what had happened. What he found was most surprising.

The Zombie woodsman who was planning to juggle several axes found the handles suddenly so slippery that they flew out from his hands. One of which ended up embedded in his skull.

The witch sisters' nightmare fortune telling potion bubbled out of control and unleashed a volcanic eruption that left their area covered with daises. Pretty yes, but hardly scary..

Jack Skeleton wondered what would have made the others' pranks go horribly wrong. He then asked his best friend Oogie if he had any trouble as well.

The golem laughed mischievously, "Of course not. Although who ever sabotaged the others I'm glad they did it."

Jack frowned, how could his best friend suddenly be so cruel?

* * *

Sorry about this Halloween being very short. Just couldn't think of any significant events for this one. The Third Halloween however WILL have some life changing drama in it. So Read and Review!


	5. The Birth of SallyPoint of No Return

Sorry this chapter is a little late. The last couple weeks was one test after another in school and had little to no free time. Not to mention getting ready for my Halloween party. I'm going as Red Riding Wolf ^_^

**The Birth of Sally**

and

**The Point of No Return**

Besides the occasional grumble from the monsters that had been eliminated from the competition, all seemed to have turned to normal for the rest of the year and for most of the next.

Jack saw less and less of Oogie around the tower which caused him to worry a bit

Then that spring a thunderous storm bellowed across the night sky. The rolling clouds blocked the light from the moon; leaving only the lightening to provide light. All the citizens of Halloween Town opened their door and windows to welcome the dreadful weather. Witched and werebats danced about in the air between the bolt of electricity, while zombies roasts spiders and toads and ate them while watching the storm. It was a Halloween version of the Fourth or July!

However in the tower, it was a birthday

The mad scientist pulled a lever that sent power rod, along with his completed creation up through a skylight above the laboratory.

Jack waited alongside Igor, the hunchback minion of the doctor's. He tried to shield his eyes while watching the rods channel the lightening down to the lifeless creation he helped to build

The doctor watched with excitement as electricity coursed from the mother storm through the equipment and into his creation. Eagerly the scientist lowered the platform once the lightning had passed. All three gazed over the creature that was brought before them.

The creature was pale in color with dark stitch work at various places across the body and mixed with the patchwork dress of earthen tones and faded pastels. Long rusted red hair reached straight down her back. Wide rounded eye opened to see the world around her.

"She's Aliiiive!"

Dr Finklstein exclaimed Igor merely rubbed his bolding head. Jack stared at the newly born golem with wonder.

The patchwork girl turned her head around curiously. She looked to the mad scientist, to the hunchback, then to the skeleton.

"She's very impressive. She heard Jack comment her, "What's her name?"

"Name? Oh right! I've had a few in mind while sewing her head together…mmm let we check my notes.." he said as he spun to a table and shifted through his notes, "Lets see… Hekahti, Medusa…Euryale, Hera… no.. they won't work. Any ideas Jack?"

The young skeleton rubbed his jaw with a bone finger while his eyes traced over the girl, "How about… Sally?"

"Sally! Are you out of your skull?! That's hardly a name for a creation of mine. It doesn't even sound scary."

"I like it." A small meek voice answered.

All three males looked over to the living doll.

She gave a small smile across her misaligned lips, "My name is Sally."

Jack glanced over to the doctor who shrugged, "Ah well, once a creation has chosen a name they will accept no other. I still don't know how that works…"

Jack and Sally laughed as the skeleton unlocked the doll from the table. She stepped off uneasily on her tiny feet for the first time and looked over to him. His head barely reached her shoulder. "Thank you Jack.."

He smiled back to her, "You're welcome."  
Dr. Finklstein rubbed his hands together, "All in all she's functioning properly.." he mumbled. "Now for my next project…"

* * *

Halloween was fast approaching and the townspeople were working tirelessly to decorate and prepare for the festivities. In the middle of the square the citizens each placed a pumpkin lantern to form a great circle with the carved faces facing inside the ring.

In the pumpkin patch the living doll Sally lifted a freshly grown pumpkin from the patch to carve a face for her contribution to the ring. She rotated the orange orb in her tiny hands with approval. Already she could see the perfect face to grace the hard curvy vegetable. Suddenly the weight of pumpkin lightened in her hands as a face appeared on its own before her eyes.  
"Oh!" she gasped in surprise, but held on to her prize.

Light flickered from within the orb to light the joyous happy mouth and eyes. The familiar face from it made her smile sweetly.

The glowing face quickly changed and morphed to that of one of hate and painful agony. The bright orange pumpkin turned grey and white. Its smooth skin tuned soft and rough while mold noxious liquid oozed from the rotting holes in the face. At once Sally tossed the squash from her hands as maggots appeared out of nowhere to devour the dead pumpkin. The patchwork girl stepped back in horror. "What's happening?"

* * *

The third Halloween was not like anything Jack had ever expected. While the townspeople gathered in the square the potential successors stepped into the center of the ring before the queen herself.

Jack looked around the assembled crown to see Oogie close by; he had grown nearly twice his normal size and was growing a slight rounded belly. Among them was Mr. Hyde with his mini incarnations in his hat, the killer clown, and the two faced fiend with a twisting head.

"Tonight my friends you will be given this rare opportunity to go to the world of the living. You will test you skills among the human race while they celebrate our horrible holiday!"

The citizens outside the circle howled and cheered with excitement those within the circle murmured among themselves eagerly wonderment. Many of them had only heard storied of the mortal word outside the borders of Halloween

Jack's curiosity peeked when Sally unexpectedly approached him. "Sally? What are you-" she placed a miniature jack-o-lantern in his hands. The dolled then approached each contestant to give the same item. He immediately remembered the doctor working on something for the Queen not long after Sally was brought to life.

"These will be the evidence of your abilities, "The queen continued and lifted on in her hand before her people, "The sound of their screams shell activate the charm's power." At that moment her eyes glowed blood red. Her serpent locks wiggled and hissed madly around her head. She bared her fangs and lashed her head to the audience. At once they screamed in terror. Just as quickly as she changed her face resumed its normal form and held the amulet before the crowds once more. This time the orb glowed in bright yellow light that nearly blinded the nearest monsters.

Those inside the ring awed the transformation, glancing to their talismans with intimidation, and hope.

"You have until the time of midnight to fill you talismans and return to the pumpkin circle. If you loose it of fail to charge it even halfway through you will be eliminated."

I moment of pause was given to let the knowledge sink into their minds. The ring of pumpkins then began to glow and release a soft humming sound.

"A final warning to you my Children of the Night, do NOT, under any circumstances kill a mortal from that world. The consequences of such deed will be nothing you can ever imagine." And before Jack or any of the others cold say a word the Pumpkin Ring's glow brightened until all was hidden in an orange light.

* * *

The world of the living was unlike anything he had imagined. All around him was life in the trees, on the city streets, even the grass under his feet was liviar then the terrain at home. He wondered through the woodlands near the small town where children and grownups wondered about in colorful costumes with bags of treats. Just walking alongside them made plenty of them shriek with surprise. He glanced to his amulet to see it slowly glow brighter in color.

About an hour to go before midnight Jack headed back to the pumpkin circle deep in the woodlands when he spotted Oogie hiding behind a large tree. "What are you doing?"

The burlap sack demon placed a thin fold of cloth to his lips, "Shh!"

On the other side of the tree a drunken old man was staggering about the side of a hill with a plain brown wrapped object in his hand.

"Watch me scare that old geezer silly!" the bug fueled golem chuckled wickedly.

Jack frowned when he looked over to the human target. "I don't know if you should Oogie…"

But it was too late. Oogie boogie jumped out from behind the tree before the man. The old man dropped his bottle and clutched at his heart at the sight of the green fabricated creature. The human stepped backward and fell down the hillside. An unsettling snapping sound sent a chill through Jack's bones. "Oogie Boogie! What have you done?" the skeleton sprinted down the hill to the human. He knelt down to the man and carefully turned him over. "Oogie? I think he's dead?"

"Tough luck for him."

He shot a surprised glance to his friend, "Don't you know what you have done? Did you not hear what Euryale said what would happen if we harmed anyone in this world!?"

"No one will ever know if we don't tell anyone."

He shot back up on his feet, "This is serious! You can't just take a life and shrug it off." He then pointed to the pumpkin talisman that was strapped to the sack's drawstring around his head. "You're in enough trouble as is."

Oogie looked down to see his charm had turned completely black and the face was red as blood. "You take care of the body. I'll handle this troubling thing."

"Listen Oogie, if you tell the Queen what happened she might go easy on you.." but his advice had fallen on deaf ears as the boogie ran off.

Jack brought the body to the side of the road so it would be discovered as son as possible. He considered placing the dead man on a bench to make him more comfortable but he was too heavy for Jack's thin arms to lift any further. The skeleton sat near the body and looked out for a passerby, "Don't worry yourself about death sir. Trust me, it can be fun. I've been dead all my life." He said glancing to the corpse. "Though, I suppose it cold be different for you."

He then sighed heavily. "I'm sorry this happened to you.. I don't know what has come over Oogie, he's usually never like this. You might not believe this but he used to be very nice… "Jack held his skull in his hands, "Since this whole contest began he's been, meaner. It's one to be scary, but another to harm someone for fun." The skeleton gazed down to the amulet he still had in his possession. The soft glow of the orb's smiling face gazed up at him. "I guess the only way to stop him is to be scarier then he is. If I can prove better them him so he won't get to the next Halloween. I have no interest to be king, but to stop Oogie, I will have to beat him to the crown..."

* * *

I hope you all have a Happy Halloween!

Now... where did I put those claws…


	6. Nightmare Within the Shadows

Disclaimer: Hey it's almost that time of year again. When ghoulish thoughts of pumpkins, ghosts, skeletons, and snakes dance through my head for nightmarish games to win the crown! Alas the rightful owner is not I. but the genius of Tim Burton. Although I've seen nearly every one of his movies.

**The Seven Nightmares of Halloween**

**Nightmare Within the Shadows**

All around the town the citizens of Halloween waited anxiously for the arrival of their future leaders from the world of humans. They longed to hear the frightening tales of the young ones' triumph in scaring the mortal souls on their most joyous night. However, the most terrifying story was much closer to them then they would ever believe.

While the town was busily enjoying themselves in the square the Pumpkin Queen retired to her tower for a spell. Upon entering the world around her suddenly plunged into darkness. She tried not to be surprised of the ominous shadows surrounding her. Though in the darkness was a chilling presence that even made her undead skin crawl, "It will take more then shadows to scare me." she stated boldly.

**"You should learn to be afraid, pitiful serpent."** said a disembodied voice that floated through the darkness, **"I can feel your powers waning, while mine grows stronger. Soon your reign will end at last. And Halloween shall be mine!"**

"It's all mine!" she retorted back, "Until the End of Days. Then the winner of the tournament shall rule. Halloween will never be yours. Not again." With a hiss her eyes and the eyes of her serpentine locks glowed bright red to cast the shadows back to whence they came.

**"You may believe that you have everything under control..."** The wicked voice whispered as it faded away.** "But in truth, the game has only just begun."**

Then Euryale was alone in her living room. It was nearly midnight and the first of the potential candidates were already returning from their journey in the human world. With a heavy sigh she returned to the square to welcome the arrivals, _"His powers are growing_." She thought to herself with dread. _"He will no doubt try everything he can to sabotage the tournament. I defeated him once. Can I do it again?"  
_  
The mad scientist turned to see the Pumpkin Queen return, "They are returning smoothly your majesty, with their pumpkins glowing bright as a flame."

The queen nodded to him, "Good."

But the news gave her little comfort. If the tournament fails, and no heir is named by the End of Days, it would be the end of Halloween.

* * *

Who was that haunting voice? What does he have to do with Jack and Oogie? Read and REVIEW to find out.


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